Tidal Wave (Thorpe Park)

Tidal Wave is a giant water ride located at Thorpe Park in Surrey, England, UK. It was opened in 2000 and was Tussauds' first major investment in the park.When the ride was constructed in 2000 it was the tallest water ride in Europe and retained the title until 2002, when Hydro at Oakwood Theme Park was opened. From 2006 to 2009, the ride was sponsored by Original Source, and from 2010 by Dr. Pepper.ThemeThe ride is set in a 1950s New England-style fishing village named "Amity", which has been hit by a tidal wave. The surrounding area has a high level of detail to carry this theme. The ride's queueline is host to a number of partially ruined buildings, including a bathroom with a leaking shower, a toilet and a house with a boat stuck in its roof. The station is built at an angle to give the impression that the building has been damaged by the wave.Upon leaving the ride, guests are led through a building, named "Pier 13", situated directly in front of the splash pool and above the track. As the boat hits the water, the wave travels straight towards this building and often continues on to the pathway behind. Two windows of the Pier 13 building have no glass, presenting another opportunity for riders to get wet.Around the splash pool are several effects such as a giant water tower which periodically releases a torrent of water, and the sound of an organ coming from the spire of a supposedly submerged church. Until 2006, the effects included a damaged gas tank firing a large flame approximately every 10 minutes, but the gas tank no longer operates because the cylinders that were used to fuel the flame were removed to make way for the construction of Stealth. The other effects are also currently nonoperational and have been out of order for several years.